The Last Kiss
by Psycho Maddy
Summary: In a relationship, the first kiss is very important, and so is the last kiss. If it never happened, it's impossible to be sure if the relationship should have ended or not. Is there still chemistry? Jibbs
1. Tension

_Just a few chapters, a late Christmas present :p_

The Last Kiss

The Director of NCIS stood staring down at the bullpen, her arms folded across her chest, her mind lost in very specific thoughts, her eyes scanning the area. She observed her agents carefully, silently reminding herself of everything she knew about each one of them simply by seeing their familiar faces. This was her job, the product of all her determination; it was her life. As she looked at them, she remembered a conversation she had with her ex-partner – not really a conversation, but one of them talked and the other answered without really listening what the other had just said. He'd call her "queen" and as she stood there, she couldn't help but feel indeed like a queen – a solitary queen. Her agents worked, talked, drank coffee, argued; and even if she'd already seen the same scene countless times, it seemed extraordinary, because those people had something she'd lost a long time ago. She wondered what they were like as a friend, a family member, if they were afraid of losing their lives and leave their loved one behind, if they cared at all. She'd been one of them, but it was as if it had been a long time ago. She wondered if they felt the excitement she used to feel, if friendship and fear were still the same. Her ears captured the sounds they made but she couldn't understand what they were saying; her mind was closed to them. Three years had already passed since her unexpected return, three long years that had changed her life forever. She was tough now and the Director exterior weighted on her shoulders. Initially, that position was the last idea that could ever occur to her but that was a long time ago, long before her father's death. After that, she changed her entire life, with one single purpose. It had seemed the right thing to do back then, she'd been hurt and devastated. The responsible for his death was gone, hopefully burning in hell. She still felt empty, though.

She looked at her empire, knowing too well how close she'd been of losing it. Jenny had been irrational, inconsequent, very much like a probie. Now it was all in the past and she had to look forward. The only reason that had kept her on the job was her efficiency, along with her ability to deal with people – outside and inside NCIS. She could be the friend, being sympathetic, or she could be the understanding boss that remained professional; at least when her former partner wasn't involved, because when it was about him...that was something that needed to be fixed. The Director couldn't afford to treat her agents differently or to have favourites and that's what the rumours said about Special Agent Gibbs. Those bottled up feelings were doing no good to their relationship – if it could be classified as such. For the past three years, they'd chosen to ignore the tension between them, the words not spoken, and ended up fighting, getting into trouble, and thanks to miracles, managing to survive. Jenny knew they'd have to do something about it – sooner or later – because it was getting impossible to work like that. There was no agreement, no listening, no talking, and she was tired; it consumed all her energy. Even before she'd actually accepted Morrow's offer, she had already decided that the past wouldn't control the present, that what they had in Europe wouldn't get in the way – it didn't go quite as planned. If it wasn't enough she couldn't even blame him, because it was her fault. She was the one who attempted to cut all the ties with him and now she was the one paying for it. Friends are friends, and lovers are lovers. Friends can become lovers, but going in the opposite way was just too much. She knew it wouldn't work, would only prolong the torture and what ifs – exactly where they were in that exactly moment. As Jenny continued to observe her agents going on their daily routine, her eyes fell upon him and he tilted his head, meeting her gaze. His eyes reflected their current mood, their current fight. She wanted him to be happy but it was so hard to keep thinking positive when he was there whenever she arrived or went back home, annoying her just for the fun of it.

Being honest with herself, Jenny found it ridiculous. It seemed like anything was a potential excuse for them to fight, even the most insignificant of things, and whenever it happened, Gibbs would be either avoiding her or barginginto her office. He'd been doing both for the past couple of weeks – not a very good sign. Right then, he refused to look away, glaring coldly at her. Jenny, on the other hand, looked at him with an understanding gaze, instead of the usual angry one. He narrowed his eyes, probably amused by the sudden change of behaviour. She could tell the way she was looking at him was slowly getting on his nerves and the coldness in his stare was gradually fading away. Jenny didn't want to look away before he did, but the voice of her assistant calling the Director prevented her of doing as she wished. She looked at him one more time and gave him a short nod of the head, feeling his eyes on her as she disappeared into her office. It was hard to believe now but they used to be friends, very good friends, and two people that enjoyed each other's company, but she missed the most was the fact that he used to trust her. Jenny missed that, being simply human had been a blessing. Not that her life was that bad but sometimes it got so lonely, so pointless. She entered her office and looked at her desk, wondering if it'd been worth all the things she'd given up. It wasn't something she'd never thought about, on the contrary; it was a recurrent thought. She needed to reassure herself of her own choices. Sitting down on her chair, she studied the room with her eyes; she'd given herself up for that and the Director was inside of her almost every second of her day, every day of her month, every month of her years.

Jenny rubbed her tired eyes, hoping it'd keep her awake, and looked at the pile of paperwork waiting for her. A deep sigh left her body and she grabbed a pen. It wasn't a night to be spent sleeping on the couch but rather a night for a good book and a generous drink. She sighed and pulled the files closer to her. The sooner she started, the sooner she'd leave. Her hand worked with a mind of its own as her eyes scanned the words written on the paper. Seconds turned into minutes and minutes turned into hours. Her hand started to ache and her eyes were tired, blinking more than it was necessary just to keep her awake. Her head was spinning but she kept her automatic movements and feigned not to notice. Reading reports was the most boring part of her job but at least it enabled her to think freely about anything else. The subject of the day this time was that unbearable situation at work. They were both adults, behaving like children, and it was interfering with all the cases they had to work together. The worst was knowing that the entire agency was aware of their every move. When she told him there would be "no off the job" it was meant for the best. After that, it'd been fight after fight and so on. Luckily, the agency had survived but the rest not so much. Her job had been left almost intact but she wanted to have both. They had so much history to let small, insignificant matters keep them apart. Jenny found it really sad; she'd thought that they'd be able to keep their friendship. Even though she wasn't sure about him, she did care, cared a lot if she was being honest with herself. No other relationship had been so intense. She reached for another file, without looking up and read the words mechanically.

There was a knock on the door but it didn't interrupt her work – Cynthia was already used to it anyway – because they went through the same ritual every night. Slowly, she stretched her neck, rotating it carefully, and took off her glasses. Gibbs stood in front of her desk, taking into every detail of the woman in front of him with her head thrown back, exposing her throat to his eyes. It was enough to remind him of another time, another situation and much less clothes, how that skin felt against his lips and hands. It also made him realise that he was too old to be fantasizing about his boss; especially when he was meant to be furious. Still, he didn't want to interrupt her, not that it was like he wanted to know what she'd do next. Her right hand rubbed her neck and he enjoyed it as much as he could considering the circumstances. Once upon a time it was his hand that would be there and he didn't have to think too hard to imagine what it felt like. Her eyes opened without hurry and Gibbs had to admit that she was beautiful, even though he'd almost forgotten that. When her eyes finally settled on him, Jenny was momentarily surprised but soon recovered. She resisted the urge to ignore him and simply sat up, noticing it'd been the first time he didn't shout first and stared later. Did he knock?

"You knocked?" she asked, her voice echoing her thoughts.

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked, as if it was the most common thing he'd do. So they were back to playful?

Jenny felt her eyes widening, not really believing his words. She laughed, like she hadn't done for a long time. How could she be angry at him and at the same time be laughing because of him she had no idea. Gibbs was in a trance; he'd always loved the sound of her laughter. He told himself he had to concentrate, he was still angry after all. Jenny looked at him and his eyes met hers but the intensity was more than she could take that she couldn't look away.

"Well, it's definitely something you don't usually do" she said, not taking her eyes away from his. He narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything, watching her with attentive eyes. Jenny started to feel exposed, like maybe he could see something she wasn't aware of.

"You came here just to look at me?" she asked quietly, while her eyes challenged him. She thought she'd seen a different sparkle in his eyes but it was gone quickly. His usual answer never came and he only passed her another file, being just as quiet as when he arrived. She preferring him shouting than silent; the latter was too distracting. It was a bit more personal – at least to her.

Jenny put the file with the others, her eyes holding his gaze. He took a step back and looked at her, looking so powerful and beautiful without even knowing it. It was hard to resist. Silently, he turned away from her and walked towards the door. She sat there, confused by his sudden appearance and departure. Jethro Gibbs wasn't known as a talkative person but that was too much even to him. She watched him intently as he opened the door and mumbled something. After that, she was truly worried about him.

* * *

Jenny let out a deep sigh as soon as she reached the elevator. Even if for just a few seconds, it was only the elevator and her; no security details watching her every move. She stepped in and pressed the correspondent button. The doors slid towards each other and she turned around, already relaxing, when they abruptly stopped. She turned back, ready to see one of her details saying something she didn't want to know. It was with great surprise that she faced one of her agents instead, but not just any of them. Gibbs stepped in and as he'd done the night before, ignored her completely. It was a different day and she wasn't going to let him contaminate her mood; she was far too calm after a good night's sleep. However, if he was talking, she wouldn't be the one to break the silence. The doors slid shut this time and the man in question leaned against the wall to her right. He had a cup of coffee in his hand and drank the hot liquid while staring straight ahead. Jenny observed him curiously, not even bothering to hide the smirk on her face. _We're pathetic_, she thought, shaking her head. It was kind of funny and soon she was chuckling to herself. He glared at her and she stopped; at least she'd gotten his attention.

"Didn't know you were here" Gibbs said, still staring at her.

"Of course you didn't..." Jenny muttered under her breath.

A satisfied smirk quickly appeared on his face but disappeared just as fast. Jenny continued to look at him, memorising all the details of his facial expression. Not because it was much different now but because she'd never had the opportunity to do so. She was so lost in the sight of him that didn't even mind his eyes staring at her, which always managed to get her uncomfortable and slightly nervous. That day was atypical, though; he was the one getting uncomfortable and from the looks of it, heading to getting angry. Strange enough, he was holding back and controlling himself. Jenny wasn't letting him win that one however. In his defence, he lasted more than ever before, but ended up with his hand eventually finding its way to the switch and Jenny heard it before she saw it. The elevator came to an abrupt stop and the lights were turned off, aside from a faint red light that was immediately turned on. He wasn't ignoring her anymore and had turned to face her. She cocked her head to the side as he gave her one of those popular glares of his and she resisted the urge to smile just to tease him even more. Jenny folded her arms across her chest and moistened her lips, signalling she was ready for a fight.

"Do you have something to say?" Gibbs asked, arching an eyebrow at her. Jenny let her eyes drift down his body to his feet and then up to his face.

She shook her head slowly "No, I'm good" she said slowly, noticing he was frozen in place "Do you?" she asked, one eyebrow arched, mimicking his previous expression.

He didn't bother to answer straight away and turned around "I'm good" he finally said, feeling her eyes on him and smirking too himself without as much as a reason. Gibbs felt her hand on his shoulder and spun around, almost bumping into Jenny. She was standing closer, inches away from him, and his gaze stopped on her face, on the mouth that was dangerously close to him. He denied the familiar feeling the image evoked, the slow burning caused by her intense gaze. He tried to block them all by reminding himself that he was meant to be angry and their relationship was strictly professional. It'd been forever since they'd been so close and completely alone. For a second, he thought of kissing those lips, taste them again, letting his hands...

"I'm starting to accept Tony's point of view" Jenny said, watching his now dark eyes, looking unaffected by the whole situation.

"About?" Gibbs asked, mesmerized by the way her lips moved, how sexy her voice could be.

"Us" she said "The frequent fights may be a result of what happened in the past" she followed his gaze to her mouth and unconsciously, she moistened her lips "or maybe...the problem is what didn't happen"

He smirked, now holding her gaze "And what would that be, Director?" he asked, emphasizing the last word.

"We never talked about it, Jethro" she said quietly "and it's interfering with everything else. I'm tired of fighting for no reason and having my door slammed so you can prove that I'm not unreachable to you"

"If we never talked, it was a decision 'you' made" he said, taking a step back "I'm just doing my job, following your orders. Don't put the blame on me" he leaned against the wall and reached for the switch again, stopping himself when her hand closed around his wrist.

Gibbs looked at Jenny in disbelief but she pretended he was glaring at her and moved closer, pushing him against the wall, like she'd done the year before.

"No, because you never talk, Jethro" she told him while he silently remembered the similar situation they'd been in after his return from Mexico. "and this" she nodded to them "is the problem of leaving things unfinished"

Gibbs saw how the fire lit her eyes and was aware of her hands pinning him to the wall. Was she trying to test his patience? "And what do you suggest?" he asked, cocking his head to the side and narrowing his eyes "a time machine?" he added, with a smirk on his face.

She stared at him, and to prove her point, leaned forward. His gaze unconsciously flickered to her mouth again, to those lips that looked so tempting. He started to have second, third, even fourth thoughts, and his mind almost wished she wouldn't stop now, while the tension was still heavy in the air. His body, with a mind of its own, was enjoying their proximity and it was hard to concentrate on anything else than his instincts.

"Now I do understand how they say the last kiss is the most important" Jenny said quietly, against her better judgement "to make sure it wouldn't be the same" she felt her body reacting to his gaze and the fact that he hadn't attempted to move. She was trying to convince herself that it wouldn't feel the same indeed, but it didn't make it any less true that her body was willing to make sure.

"Is that your idea of telling me you want a kiss, Jenny?" Gibbs asked, contemplating the idea of doing it himself.

"Look at us...I could have done it if I wanted to" she said, taking her hands from his arms "I just wanted to prove a point"

Jenny took a step back but was surprised when she collided with his chest and one of his arms holding her in place. They'd been boss and subordinate for three very long years. What were they doing? She felt his heart beating against hers, his hand on the small of her back and it was all so intoxicating.

"Maybe you're right" Gibbs said, looking once again to her mouth, the enjoying the feeling of having her in his arms a little too much "We need to solve this and move on" he said, taking his hands off her. Jenny took a deep breath and turned around, reaching for the switch as much as thinking about what had just happened. Light replaced darkness and they looked at each other, remembering what had been said and done. The elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open. Jenny spared Gibbs one last glance but he didn't move.

"Well..." she looked at him and pointed to the door. He cocked his head to the side and waited for the doors to close. Jenny stared at him but Gibbs only shrugged.

Jenny was starting to doubt what had just happened. Not that she had done something wrong, not on purpose. Well, the last kiss commentary wasn't her most brilliant idea but it didn't make it any less true. Their unfinished business interfered with everything else. They went from joking to furious in the blink of an eye. Still, the approach she'd chosen didn't help any, only adding more fuel to the fire. A decision made in the heat of the moment and she was already regretting it. If his reaction was anything to go by, their fights were about to get even worse. If it wasn't enough, the way he was now looking at her had her thinking about the past. His eyes were a mix of longing and teasing, daring her to do something, and she was slowly losing herself in them when the elevator stopped and the doors opened. She nodded once and turned around, feeling his eyes on her as the doors slid close one more time.

* * *

Inside the elevator, Gibbs flipped the stop switch and sighed heavily. His hand connected with the back of his head and the pain helped him focus on something else than his boss's body. Last kiss...he had to smirk as he remembered her words. How could she think that a last kiss, even after nine years, wouldn't be the first? If she could take a look inside his head, she wouldn't even mention something like that...

"Damn woman" he muttered to himself as the flashbacks invaded his mind.

TBC


	2. One step closer

_This is shorter but I like it the way it is and there'll be more :)_

2. One step closer

The following couple of days were anything but calm, at least to Gibbs, and he didn't have to see her; not that he was complaining. He didn't mind, not at all. However, he was oblivious to what was about to happen. The first sign was his main suspect disappearing, which had him angrier than usual and his whole team running away from him whenever the chance presented itself. They hadn't found him yet and everybody was paying for it. The second sign was the press, which he had managed to piss off again. It was unbelievable how those people could be so infuriating. Sometimes he really wished he could smash their heads. Needless to say, the Director had called him upstairs but he'd been avoiding the meeting as much as possible. They could all go to hell until he did find the bastard. He was coming back with a new cup of coffee when Tony suddenly appeared in front of him.

"You want another headslap, DiNozzo?"

Tony flinched and shook his head "No, boss. The Director wants you upstairs ASAP"

Gibbs took a sip of his coffee and nodded, passing by Tony. Ziva and McGee exchanged glances and watched the other two interacting. Just as Gibbs was sitting on his chair, they heard a telephone ringing. They all turned to look at Ziva, as if she had interrupted something very important, waiting for her to pick up the phone. She listened and a few words were exchanged before she turned to Gibbs.

"Gibbs-"she was interrupted by the man himself.

"I don't wanna know" he said, reinforcing his words with his tone.

"But-"Ziva opened her mouth to speak again when the elevator's door opened and a certain FBI agent stepped out of it.

"That's exactly what I had to say" she muttered under her breath. Gibbs glared at her and she nodded, shutting up.

"Tobias" he greeted his old friend "what the hell are you doing here?" he added with a smile.

Fornell smirked in return "Missed me that much, Jethro?"

They glared at each other, for the sake of it "Don't tell me you're snooping around again" Gibbs said as he stood up. The last thing he needed now was the FBI making things even worse, something they always did.

"I won't" Fornell replied "but I do have an interest in one of your cases. I'll even be nice, just because it's Christmas"

They glared at each other, while the team watched the scene they'd seen a million times before. It was like a ritual. Tony asked himself if it meant more headslaps to him. The silence was broken by a voice from above, a feminine voice. The entire team, Gibbs and Fornell, all looked up to see who had interrupted.

"Agent Fornell" Cynthia's voice echoed through the bullpen "The Director wants to see you now" she told him "and bring him with you" she said, motioning to Gibbs. She disappeared and they shared a look of amusement before heading to the elevator. They were alone in there and Fornell took the opportunity to stare at his friend with a smug look on his face.

"What did you do this time?" Fornell asked, turning to look at Gibbs.

Gibbs arched an eyebrow "What makes you think I did something?"

Fornell chuckled "I'm sure Jenny would disagree" he said, the corners of his mouth turning upwards "and so would Cynthia"

Gibbs controlled the urge to slap the back of his head "I know nothing about Director Shepard's mood" he said, emphasizing her title.

The FBI agent looked at him in disbelief and grinning "I think your problem is that you're not prepared to have a boss like that and keep your hands to yourself" he said, clearly enjoying himself.

Gibbs trying to hide his smirk "Like you know anything about woman" he said as the doors opened and they stepped out "I wouldn't let her hear you say that if I were you"

"I'm not blind. So…you don't think she's hot?" Fornell insisted, trying to get Gibbs to admit what he thought couldn't possibly be more obvious.

"What's wrong with you today? You've been talking to Tony?" Gibbs asked "or you're just trying to annoy me?"

Fornell looked at him very patiently, as no one else could, and smiled, satisfied with himself "Your ex is now your boss but that's not the worst. That would be that you still have a thing for her, that she's still as hot as she used to be and the power she has now makes it so much more interesting…" he said, moving his head while Gibbs' hands was only inches away from his head "You're lost my friend" he said over his shoulder as he moved past Gibbs, who glared at the retreating form and soon followed him.

The door was open, welcoming them in. Fornell spared Gibbs a glance and walked in first, keeping an eye on the other agent. Jenny was waiting by the window, with her back turned to them. Gibbs entered her office and closed the door. He joined Fornell, standing by his side but Jenny seemed to be too lost in thought to acknowledge their presence and he wondered if she too was thinking about their last encounter. His eyes travelled down her body and he remembered how it felt to have her in his arms after nine very long years, the first real physical contact they'd had since Paris, how close to kiss those lips he'd been, with his arm wrapped around her waist. He cleared his throat, as much to get her attention as to clear his own thoughts. Jenny's head turned to the side and seeing them, she spun around. Her gaze moved from one to another and she sat down on her chair in silence. She clasped her hands together and waited for them to sit. Fornell sat down but Gibbs remained where he was. She arched an eyebrow at him but quickly turned her attention to the FBI agent.

"I understand that Agent Gibbs' current case is related at some point to the FBI. Your boss and I have an agreement. You too will be cooperating and by cooperating I mean working together as a team, the same team. Any questions?" she looked from one to another, watching as the men shared a glance. Fornell was the first to speak.

"My people have had much more-"Fornell began.

"You always say that" Gibbs said "but this is still MY case and you wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for what WE found out"

Fornell snorted "You're too territorial, Jethro. Have always been"

Jenny narrowed her eyes, letting them have their usual heated discussion about who'd be following whose rules. With a sigh, she focused on the files in front of her and read it carefully, as her mind gradually became oblivious to the noise.

"You two are just wasting time" she said, without lifting her head "and fight like an old couple" she muttered to herself, but if the silence that followed her words were anything to go by, they'd heard her statement.

"It's not my fault if Jethro never learnt to share and is too afraid of being observed" the FBI agent argued.

"I don't need a supervisor" Gibbs replied but looked at Jenny instead "You just wanna snoop around and make me waste my time with your team. It only takes much time to solve the damn thing" he said, turning to Fornell.

Both men turned to Jenny, recognising that the last word was still hers, while she mentally compared them to two little boys begging for attention.

"You were made for each other" she said, without hiding the smile on her face "and you both deserve it"

Fornell stood up laughing, knowing the conversation was over. He shrugged "It's not like I got red hair"

Jenny arched an eyebrow at him and the smile disappeared quickly "Not a very good choice of words" she said, running a hand through her hair just to make it more obvious.

"Something against the colour of my hair, Agent Fornell?" she asked, glaring at him. Jenny could bet that if she looked at Gibbs, he'd be smirking.

He shook his head "Absolutely nothing. It suits you, doesn't it, Jethro?" he turned to Gibbs with a smile on his face.

Gibbs' eyes moved from Fornell to the woman in front of him, their eyes locking. He seemed to be lost in her colours – the green eyes, the red hair, the reddish lips – but managed to find himself at last. He chose not to answer the question but his eyes, with a mind of their own, didn't want to look at anything else. Fornell watched the other two intently, silent but with a knowing smile on his face. He wondered if they would ever act on their thoughts, thoughts in which he was very interested, especially if they related to Jenny. They'd been like that for as long as he could remember, something that dated back to the old days, when she was an agent just like them. Not failing to notice the tension in the room, he saw it as his opportunity to leave and get started before Gibbs.

"I'll be downstairs" he said, leaving quickly.

Gibbs finally took his eyes off of Jenny and looked around. He should have left with Fornell but since he was already there. She watched him carefully, slightly curious, slightly confused. He seemed to be oblivious to her gaze.

"I've been trying to contact you. Something you want to tell me, Jethro?" Jenny asked, lowering her head to look busy.

"Nope" Gibbs replied "Now that I'm here, what was so urgent?" he asked, even if he knew too well what it was about.

Jenny narrowed her eyes, her lips slightly parted, and looked at him. Gibbs looked like he really had no idea what she wanted with him. It was enough to make Jenny stand up and walk towards him. Her eyes sparkled dangerously, a wicked smile on her lips, and she seemed to be as tall as him in that moment.

"Jethro, you've been on this job for longer than me. You know how everything works and what you're supposed to do. Why do you insist on being a rebel?" she inquired.

Gibbs smirked, finding it very amusing "It's part of the charm" he said, receiving a glare in return, along with a hand positioned on her hip and heavy sigh.

"I've always respected my rules, not anyone else's" he said quietly "and my job has nothing to do with the press" the tone of his voice got a bit louder as the anger awakened.

"Oh, so you do know what we're talking about?" she asked, taking a step forward.

"It was their fault, not mine" he argued "because of them the suspect can't be found" he told her, his eyes blazing, his jaw clenched. Jenny didn't seem the least affected by his outburst of anger, was rather the contrary and she made it very clear by taking another step forward. They stood a foot away from each other and none looked as if was about to move anytime soon. They stared at each other, letting frustration and anger be transmitted in silence.

"No, you were not always like this. You did know how to cooperate" she said quietly, too quietly, which made him even angrier "and I would love to know why you've been so good at it since I returned. Was it to get my attention?"

Gibbs smirked but recognised there was something right about what she was telling him. Not that he did it 'just' to get her attention but she couldn't ever imagine how powerful he felt every time he barged into her office.

"Tell me, Jethro" she put her hands on her hips "why do you feel the need to make sure that you can still make me angry? That you still have power over me?" she challenged him.

His tongue played inside his mouth, wondering what her reaction would be if he kissed her just to shut her up, wondering if it would indeed feel the same or not. The way her eyes sparkled whenever she was angry and her lips and cheeks seemed to flush made it even more attractive. He knew she asked him a question and was probably expecting an answer but he didn't have a good one yet. His gaze drifted down to her lips, something he'd been doing very often lately, and their previous conversation played again in his head. The kiss she had mentioned got more and more tempting as the minutes passed by. Jenny looked at him, doubting he was listening to anything at all or if he was doing it to make her even angrier. Letting out a heavy sigh, she turned her back to him and walked to her desk, sitting on the edge of the desk. Gibbs followed her with his eyes and Jenny was too aware of it, which only contributed to aggravate her mood. It was seriously getting on her nerves.

"Why do you keep staring at me? Don't you have work to do?" she asked.

"Impatient today, Director?" Gibbs asked casually, ignoring the glare she was sending his way. He walked towards her. She refused to reply but the look she gave him was more than enough to send the message. However, Gibbs was determined to prove his point and feeling braver than he'd been after she'd said no to him that first day. He stopped in front of her and looked at her face, allowing himself to see beyond the Director's exterior.

"Why don't you answer your own question?" he challenged her "I'm sure you already have a theory" he said, leaning closer.

Jenny smirked, accepting the challenge "You" she said, leaning closer as well "need to be in control of what happens in your life and so you try to invade my personal space because you realised I've already invaded yours" she said, a smirk on her face.

Gibbs fought the overwhelming urge to kiss her as the good Marine he was and opted to concentrate on her words "Maybe you're right" he told her, taking a step forward. His fingertips brushed her hand very lightly and Jenny lowered her head to make sure it hadn't been just her imagination. When she lifted her head again, his face was even closer to hers than it had been a second before. Her eyes widened in surprise and she couldn't breathe for a second. She was inebriated and could barely see his face moving slowly towards hers. She wanted to stop but at the same time it seemed the last thing she would do. Her whole body seemed to have frozen when his face came in contact with hers, his nose touching hers, his hot breath against her lips. She closed her eyes, feeling her heart beat so much faster, and licked her lips. The moment seemed to last hours but was only a few seconds. He pulled her flush against him and she fought to keep her eyes open as her mind slowly drifted away. One of his arms was wrapped around her waist and the feeling of his body pressed against her was too much. She could feel the blood rushing through her body, her heart beating, the desire that told her to go ahead. His warmth made her forget about everything else and had her lips parting slightly. She could feel the skin of his jaw against them and his hot breath running along hers. She knew her eyes had darkened by now and her hands found their way to his biceps, holding him close or maybe trying to push him away. As his parted lips moved slowly to her mouth, one of her hands closed around his neck and his index finger slid down her chin, gently lifting her head. His lips hovered barely an inch above hers and all she wanted was to feel then again as every cell of her body gravitated towards him. His hand moved from her face to her neck and clutched the nape of her neck, which had her cupping his cheek and bringing his face closer, placing her lips on his.

It was the furthest they went before someone knocked on the door. They parted, looking at each other, not knowing what to say. Eyes were still dark, hearts still beating fast, bodies still reacting to the sudden intimacy.

"Director" the person yelled from outside the office "it's me, Abby"

Gibbs spared Jenny a last glance, his eyes stubbornly refusing to move away from her. Reluctantly, he moved to open the door. He guessed it mean they still had chemistry, just enough to start a fire.

"I know I'm late, it's all my fault, and that I've should've waited for Cynthia to send me in but she's not here and I really didn't want to make you wait any longer because-"Abby stopped talking as soon as she noticed the Director was not alone and was even more surprised when she realised that it was Gibbs her companion.

"Oh, I'll be back later, didn't want to-"this time it was Gibbs who made her stop.

"Stay, Abby" he said and Jenny was able to discern a hint of huskiness in his voice. Abby looked from one to another, being not really sure if the moment was the best "I was already leaving. Have to keep an eye on Fornell" he explained, leaving the two women alone. Jenny's eyes lingered on him, her body rooted to that spot and without as much as a blink, she turned to Abby with a smile on her face.

"I was waiting for you" she said.

But Abby wasn't so sure about it...

TBC


	3. A last kiss is always a first kiss

* * *

Another day soon arrived, taking everybody one step closer to Christmas. The building was being decorated, the atmosphere had changed completely and smiles could be seen everywhere. Secretly, Gibbs enjoyed watching the change. It was like everyone was possessed, a phenomenon he presumed was related to the 'Christmas spirit". It was not just the people – which were friendlier, calmer, etc – but the decoration itself. Although he couldn't care less about decorating his own house, the building seemed less impersonal around this time of year and he kind of liked it. For some unknown reason, it still made him smile, even if he didn't allow himself to be infected by the season's plague. He did consider himself to be a man of tradition – but not a traditional man – and just to prove himself right he kept and celebrated the same traditions over the years. This year wouldn't be much different; he'd do the same thing he'd done the year before – stay at home and drink Bourbon or go out and drink coffee; it was just a matter of drink. Either way he'd be observing other people celebrating – be it through the tv or live. He sat down at his desk, drinking his coffee, his mind slowly drifting to what had happened the day before at Jenny's office, or rather what hadn't happened. He'd taken the first step, something he'd promised himself he wouldn't do, but she'd been as much active as him; and if there was something he knew about Jennifer Shepard, it was that she didn't do anything if she wasn't interested in. He wished Abby hadn't chosen that moment to interrupt them, so that he could see who would stop first. He was glad she had arrived though, because the kiss that wasn't even a proper kiss was too intense the way it'd been and he was just a man, with impulses as any other. It only made things more complicated, harder to ignore, and they were already too complicated. If he closed his eyes, he saw it again, felt it again, how close...

"Gibbs" the sound of Ziva's voice woke him up. He cleared his throat and looked at her as she sat down at her desk.

Tony was the next "Boss, any Christmas present?" he asked, smiling at Gibbs. The latter stood up and Tony took one step back. The older man held him in place, gripping his shoulder, which had Tony shutting his eyes in advance for the headslap to come.

"Yeah" Gibbs said, observing as Tony opened one of his eyes "Paperwork" he added, trying to hide a smirk.

Recognising the need to purify his thoughts to more professional ones, he shook his head and made his way back to his desk. He'd been in control for three years, had been fine for three years, and suddenly he was acting like a hormonal teenager. It was really hard to understand and even harder to explain but he really had to do something about it or he'd be crazy by the end of the week. The more he tried not to think about the woman, the more he got a mental image of her. The worst was that it resembled too much the real experience and it wasn't just about the image but the perfume, the warmth, and the feelings. He needed a case, something to occupy his mind or maybe a very strong coffee would do.

"Hello boys and Ziva" Abby said, with a huge smile on her face and a black Santa hat on her head "Ready for the most boring season of the year?" she asked excited.

"Yeah, it'll be a long day" Tony agreed.

"Not as many murders as suicides" Ziva added.

Abby seemed to think about it, while walking closer to Gibbs, who was standing next to her. The Goth smiled sweetly at him, her sparkling, her feet moving with precision. Gibbs narrowed his eyes, suspecting he knew what she was about to do "No" he told her, staring at her face.

Her smile disappeared and her eyes grew wide as she looked at him incredulously "You didn't even let me finish!!"

"No" he repeated, moving away from her "I'm not doing it, Abby" he said vehemently.

She folded her arms across her chest and pouted "What about yesterday? There was something going on, right?"

He glared at her but it only had her moving closer, leaning closer as if to tell him a secret "You just have to invite the Director" she whispered.

"And why can't you do that?" he asked, glaring at her.

"Because you two are closer and she won't just give any excuse to you" Abby explained, looking at him expectantly.

"You should try it" he said, staring at the computer screen.

Abby narrowed her eyes and wrapped her arms around the screen, blocking his view.

Gibbs sighed heavily and looked at her "Abby..."

"Ask her and" Abby paused, her brain working faster to find a way "I'll let you leave an hour earlier" she offered.

Gibbs glared at her and she glared back. He knew Abby wanted him in this party but there was something suspicious in her insistence on having him asking Jenny to join them. He really should be avoiding her, wasn't like he was ready to face her again. No, not yet.

"Two hours"

Abby's eyes widened in surprise and she temporarily stared at him "One"

"Two" he said, shaking his head.

They were both stubborn and she hadn't really expected that but it was Gibbs; it was worth it. Abby sighed heavily, which Gibbs took as a sign of admitted defeat "Fine"

He smirked at her "Now find something to do"

* * *

True to what Ziva and Tony had predicted, the day was long and incredibly boring, with paperwork and more paperwork. For once Gibbs wished his friend Tobias wasn't so incompetent and hadn't solved their last case. Thanks to him, they had nothing to do and his mind could think about very inappropriate things. Gibbs, who had lost his patience many hours before, was drinking the hundredth coffee of the day and more inclined to send the team home as the minutes passed by. He'd been in Abby's lab, Autopsy, and the only reason he hadn't been in MTAC as well was the possibility of seeing their lovely Director, because he didn't know what or if he had to say something when they crossed paths. Why everything had to be so complicated when it came to them he had no idea but it was almost annoying. He sent his team home, and quickly, before he could change his mind. They didn't need to be told twice and soon were disappearing with happy smiles on their faces. He glanced at his watch; maybe he too should be going, after checking if Abby was still working. That was when he remembered their agreement. Instead of going to Abby's lab, he headed to MTAC, in search for the woman he'd been avoiding all day. The things he did for his favourite... His brain was imaging his boss for the umpteenth time that day and he resisted the constant urge to slap the back of his head – again. If she was still there, which he knew was very possible, he wouldn't apologise. He didn't have to, not when he hadn't done anything and wished he could do it again. She'd most likely not mention it so he didn't have to worry. However, it was the opposite he was worried about. After all, he couldn't simply forget what had happened, the intimacy, the familiar feelings, feelings he thought didn't exist anymore.

He couldn't pretend she didn't seem to like it, that she was going to kiss him. He shook his head, like a kiss could do any good to their already unfinished business. His patience wasn't that infallible. He passed by Cynthia's empty desk and slowly opened the door to her office. He found Jenny's desk equally empty, which was very strange, and wondered if she'd gone home earlier than the usual impossible hours and left the door open by accident. His eyes lingered on her desk and the memory of her body pressed against his invaded his mind. It'd been all so quick but still slowly enough to awake those feelings from the past, both the rational and irrational ones. Did it mean anything to her than just a missed kiss? Was she angry or regretting it? He went through all the possibilities and the details, unconsciously replaying it over and over again in his mind. It wasn't until seconds or maybe minutes later that he felt another presence near him and blinked a couple of times to return to the real world. Jenny was beside him, narrowed eyes, smirk on her face, arms folded across her chest.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked quietly, a hint of humour in her voice. She was curious to know what had him so distracted that her arrival had passed unnoticed.

The man in question looked at her, trying to focus on one of the million thoughts inside his head "Waiting" he replied, watching her every move and paying special attention to her face.

She shifted her gaze from him to her desk, not noticing anything out of the ordinary "For what?" she asked.

"For whom" he corrected her, arching an eyebrow.

She glared at him "What have you done this time? I thought the FBI agents were gone"

"They did" Gibbs said "I'm here because Abby asked me to" he explained.

Jenny nodded, her mind working on what that was supposed to mean "Interesting...And did she think that your chances were better?" she asked, unsuccessfully trying to hide the shadow of a smile gracing her features.

He suppressed a smirk but it was reflected in his sparkling eyes. He chose to left the question without an answer; it was not necessary "There'll be a party tomorrow and she wants you there" he said.

She smirked "I know, she told me about it" Jenny said "and I said I couldn't be there"

"Other plans?" Gibbs asked, hoping it sound uninterested enough.

"Not really" she replied, wondering if he was doing this only for Abby "I don't like Christmas that much"

Gibbs frowned, because they had celebrated at least two Christmas together when they were partners "Since when?" he asked, not really believing what sounded suspiciously like a very lame excuse.

"Since I can remember" Jenny replied.

"What about the ones we spent together?" he asked.

Jenny sighed and moved past him shaking her head "I don't know" she said quietly "You were there with me and I felt like doing it. Not that our last celebration was that conventional..."

Gibbs was quiet for a moment, trying to read between the lines, because he wasn't so sure if she was lying or not "Let's say that I believe it" he said and even if he couldn't see her face, he knew she was probably smirking by now.

She turned around to face him and her sparkling green eyes teased his. The smirk was still on her face and she had one of those perfect eyebrows arched. Maybe the problem was the effect it had on him, something he couldn't deny anymore. He would never have imagined that, after nine years, he'd be like this because of the same woman; none of his relationships had lasted that long. The seconds that followed were longer than they'd ever been and the silence was oppressive; not that the burning he felt inside of him had anything to do with it.

"You going?" he asked, finally breaking the silence.

She shook her head "No, I need some place quiet and my house is good enough" she said "Besides, I'm not sure if the rest of your team and other guests would appreciate my presence"

He gave her a short nod but still looked at her suspiciously "No parties you have to attend? No special dinner with some important politician?"

Jenny smirked at him "Not really, maybe Fornell was right about you being territorial" she said, receiving a glare in return that made her smile "Have fun for the both of us"

Gibbs watched intently as she moved around the room and blocked her way. She stepped to the side and so did he, which had her looking at him in amusement.

"What else do you want?!" Jenny asked, trying to move past him but failing as he mimicked her movements. She let out a deep sigh when she realised he wasn't going anywhere "What?" she asked, her hands on her hips, threatening him with her glare.

He found it very hard not to do exactly as the day before or even act on the rest of the things he had in mind. He just had to admit that he loved an angry Jenny, especially when she was standing at arm's length. He loved staring at her lips but it wasn't the only reason why he did it. The effect it had on her was definitely something to remember. At first, she felt slightly nervous, then it was replaced by the daring glare she shot him, that threatened him if he got any closer; that looked every bit the way she was now. He watched her intently as she tried to move again "I'm not sure if I'm going to the party..." he trailed off, letting his gaze drift down to her mouth on purpose, just to see her reaction "I have other plans"

She tilted her head up to look at him, trying to stay immune to his predator's gaze. She had no idea as to why he was telling her that. Was he expecting her to say or ask something? She noticed that he was standing just a little too close and wondered if it was the way he'd found to tease her, because of so...

Jenny leaner closer "Oh, have fun, then" she said, lowering the tone of her voice, making sure her gaze lingered on his mouth and went back to his eyes; and it was all she said, even if she was curious to know where he was going and with whom. Well, it certainly answered a few of her questions about the kiss that hadn't happened. Obviously, it hadn't meant anything, was merely the result of an impulse. She was somehow disappointed; even if it wasn't the first time he gave her a reason to feel like that.

"Can I...?" she asked, motioning to her desk with her head. She was surprised when he shook his head. Her eyes widened in surprise and the inevitable smirk appeared on her face "Excuse me?" she noticed the glint of mischief in his eyes and the shadow of a smirk on his face. He was definitely teasing her. He shook his head again and lowered his gaze to her mouth, watching as her lips parted unconsciously.

"Why don't you come with me?" he asked quietly, staring deeply into her eyes.

Jenny frowned, thinking her ears were not working properly. Her eyes widened for a second and she didn't know what to say "I don't think it's a good idea" she said, ashamed at how feeble her voice seemed to be.

"You sure?" he asked with a husky voice that hadn't been there a second before, a tone that was incredibly hard to resist. He cocked his head to the side and seemed to be contemplating her face while she fought the urge to look away.

Jenny pressed her lips together, to contain herself and all the inappropriate thoughts, but the action proved itself to be quite inefficient when his thumb parted them. Her eyes met his as she could feel them darkening while his thumb ran along her lips; she resisted the urge to put it inside her mouth. He felt her breath against his skin and saw her eyes fighting to keep themselves open. It was good to know the feeling was mutual. His other fingers found the side of her neck and Jenny felt an internal shiver as they moved to her nape and scalp.

"You sure?" he asked again, this time whispering the words into her ear, his breath tickling the last remains of self control she had left.

Against her own will but already having lost the power over her body, she leaned into his touch, which exposed her neck to his eyes. He captured her earlobe between his lips, slowly letting it slid between his teeth. He started nibbling on her earlobe and then drifted down to do the same to her neck. With a hand entangled in her hair, he gently rubbed his nose against hers and his lips against hers, loving the feeling of her breath against them. Their proximity of their bodies, the welcome warmth emanating from his and the kisses that were being placed along her neck, were all making her melt in his heart. He let his tongue replace his thumb and part her lips. Her head immediately tilted upwards while her hands pulled him closer by the lapels of his jacket. One of his hands ran down her side and his arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him. She found herself lost in him, all her senses focusing on one sensation. She refused to close her eyes and was currently keeping herself busy by running her hands down his chest.

"Explain that last kiss thing" he whispered as he lips hovered above hers.

"It's meant to measure the desire and the feelings, if there's nothing left..." she managed to say as he seemed to press their bodies even closer together. She thought her heart might explode, that the tension would finally be too much, and the only thing she could do was put her hands on his waist and press her body against his.

He placed his lips on top of hers for a quick kiss and pulled back, catching her bottom lip between his teeth and sucking gently. His mouth covered hers again and she parted her lips, only to feel his mouth leaving hers. He pressed his forehead against hers while one of his hands clutched her hip.

"And we..." he trailed off, moving with her across her office, until her back hit the wall.

She tilted her head upwards and teased his lips with her tongue as he gripped her wrists and held her hands above her head "Maybe we do need that last kiss" she whispered against his lips as the heat invaded her senses and pulled her to him.

He pulled back and looked into her eyes before leaning closer again and pressing his lips against hers, only harder this time. Lips moved together, while their mouths pressed against each other. The weight of his body against her awakening those same old feeling, same old needs. He let go of her wrists and moved his hands to her waist, passing by her breasts and stopping on her face, bringing her head closer to his. She broke the kiss and he rested his lips against hers as they shared the same air and his heart beat against her chest. Her eyes fluttered open and she smirked at him "This is nice but not a proper last kiss..."

One of his hands wrapped around her waist while the other cupped her face and he smirked before lowering his head. All the softness was gone and she crashed her lips against his in a heated kiss. His lips parted and she took the lead, allowing her tongue to enter his mouth, pulling him to her. His hand entangled in her hair as their tongues moved together, chasing each other, and he had to suppress a groan when she sucked his into her mouth. His hands closed tighter around her hips and he pulled her to him, walking to the couch and lying on top of her. His mouth attacked her throat while he pressed his hips hard against hers and her hand gripped his shoulder. They both felt the vibration mingled with the heat and desire in their air. Jenny laughed and he pulled back, a smirk on his face.

"Yes, Abby?" he said as he answered the phone, resting his head on the crook of Jenny's neck. "Hmm" he mumbled while biting gently along her neckline and undoing the first button "Be right back"

He kissed her neck, trailed along her throat, up to her chin and finding her lips, invaded her mouth. He tasted her slowly, letting his tongue slide along hers. Her hands gripped his neck, her nails scratching the skin as the kiss became more passionate and urgent. She made sure there was absolutely nothing between their bodies and he covered her entirely, all wrapped around her body. They broke the kiss when the need for became too much and he remembered Abby was still on the phone.

"She wants to know if you'll be there" he said, undoing another button, and letting his mouth kiss the exposed skin, moving back to her mouth.

"Thought it was supposed to be a last kiss?" she said, with a smirk as she covered his mouth with her fingers.

He glared at her and sat up, moving her feet aside "She'll be there, Abby" he said before hanging up. She looked at him in surprise when he stood up without as much as a word.

"Where are you going?" she asked incredulously, standing up as well and running a hand through her hair.

He wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled her closer to him by wrapping his arms around her waist "Do you want a last kiss or a first kiss?"

She leaned forward and kissed the corner of his mouth "A last kiss is always a first kiss" she said, kissing each of his eyelids and doing the same to his cheeks.

"What do you want?" she asked, snuggling closer.

He tightened his arms around her and kissed her shoulder and neck "I want...you, breakfast, and a first kiss" he said, leaning down to claim her mouth.

"A first kiss?" she asked as their lips met.

"Mmhm..."

The End

* * *

_I was very surprised that so many people had put this on alert and all...because I'd thought the idea was very silly. I didn't exactly plan anything and am a bit disappointed with this last part but I hope at least one person likes it and the rest won't kill me for what I didn't do. xx_


End file.
